Laser Tattoo Removal Myths Debunked: We Have the Facts You Need to Know

Tattoos of various designs such as butterfly, anchor or line of text are common these days, plus there is a new trend that is taking tattoo fanatics by storm- the 3-D ink.

If you’re not familiar with such yet, you can just check out the hashtag #3dtattoo on Instagram to see the evidence. You’ll see thousands of images of extravagant ink signifying the new style, which renders objects like insects, animals and landscapes as eye-tricking trompe l’oeil. While 3D ink can be as cool as tattoos of Chris Brown, maybe cooler, tattoo regret is inevitable. So what if you regret the design you got?

You undergo laser tattoo removal of course, or if you want to put yourself at risks, you can choose any type of tattoo removal. If you are still uncertain about choosing the laser treatment as the best solution for tattoo regret most probably due to all these misconceptions about laser tattoo removal, you need to know these facts. Read on to find out what’s true and what isn’t about the laser technology.

Myth #1: The darkest colors are the most difficult to remove.

Some think black tattoo removal is the most difficult, but No. Amazingly, black is the easiest color to erase because darker colors absorb all wavelengths of laser light. The laser has a much easier time targeting tattoo ink when it’s dark, especially if your skin tone is lighter.

The lighter shades, like greens and yellows are actually harder to remove because they selectively absorb the laser light.

Myth #2: Treatment takes a long time.

Your time is too precious and you do not want to go back again and again to a dermatological clinic to make sure your tattoo will be gone. Fortunately, you do not have to deal with lengthy laser treatments. The sessions are actually very fast, they will only take a few minutes from your busy day.

In some cases, it is possible for a black tattoo to be removed in a single visit, with a latest technique called Q-Switched laser. However, due to several factors like the length of time you’ve had the tattoo, if your tattoo artist was an amateur, and if non-traditional ingredients were used when formulating the tattoo ink, some black tattoo ink may take longer than expected to be eliminated completely.

Myth #3: Laser can burn your skin.

As long as you are with a board certified dermatologist and tattoo removal expert like Dr. Eric Schweiger, there is nothing you should worry about. You will only see lasers causing damage in sci-fi movies, but when it comes to tattoo removal, the method only targets the ink, not your skin. Laser tattoo removal is proven-safe and side effects are rare. Potential side effects from tattoo removal include blistering, infection of the tattoo site, scabbing, and loss of skin pigment.

Myth #4: Tattoos on thick-skinned areas are the most difficult to eliminate.

The tattoos you got on your ankle or finger are actually more difficult to remove than those on thick-skinned areas, like the abdomen. Good thing the R20 method makes tattoo removal faster.

Myth #4: Laser tattoo removal is expensive.

The R20 method of tattoo removal is not more costly compared to the traditional methods of tattoo elimination. As a matter of fact, it can end up less costly since fewer treatments are often performed using newer methods. If the R20 method of tattoo removal is performed and multiple treatments are done during a single visit, the price is $400 per treatment (or $1600 for a total of four treatments during a single visit.)